Procedures and Tests Index

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Find relevant and reliable medical information on a common procedure or test. Find your topic by using the A-Z list (select a letter - over 220 procedures and tests listed) or the search function below or review the list below for a commonly searched procedure or test article.

Top 20 Procedures & Tests (as read on MedicineNet)

Antinuclear Antibody Test
A blood test that is used to detect autoimmune diseases. Typically, these unusual antibodies are directed against elements within the nucleus of cells.

CA 125
A blood sample or fluid from the chest or abdominal cavity is examined for CA 125, a protein that's a so-called tumor marker.

CAT Scan
A procedure that produces images of structures within the body created by a computer that takes data from multiple X-ray images and turns them in pictures on a screen.

Chemotherapy
This treatment—which can be given intravenously (through a vein), by mouth, through an injection (shot), or applied on the skin—destroys cancer cells.

Colonoscopy
Procedure using a viewing tube that enables an examiner (usually a gastroenterologist) to evaluate the appearance of the inside of the colon (large bowel).

Complete Blood Count
A calculation of the cellular (formed elements) of blood. Generally determined by specially designed machines that analyze the different components of blood in less than a minute.

Creatinine Blood Test
This blood test can detect abnormally high levels of creatinine, which indicates kidney malfunction or failure.

Electrolytes
The balance of the electrolytes in our bodies is essential for normal function of our cells and our organs. Common electrolytes measured by blood tests include sodium, potassium, chloride, and bicarbonate.

Hemoglobin
Hemoglobin is the protein molecule in red blood cells that carries oxygen from the lungs to the body's tissues and returns carbon dioxide from the tissues to the lungs. Low hemoglobin levels may indicate anemia, while high levels may be caused by lung disease and certain tumors.

Hysterectomy
The uterus is removed during this common surgical procedure.